Jacque Vaughn, Brooklyn Nets
It’s usually a tough opportunity to be an interim head coach in the NBA. That’s especially the case when it’s for a team like the Brooklyn Nets that has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on the roster but neither will be available to play during the playoffs, as in Jacque Vaughn’s case.
Needless to say, no head coach would be expected to lead this Nets roster without Irving or Durant to a series upset in the first round. Especially when considering Brooklyn’s projected first-round matchup is the Toronto Raptors.
The coaching history Vaughn has in the NBA has been very poor to stay the least. He ended up posting a 58-158 record during three seasons with the Orlando Magic. The interim role with the Nets is the first time he’s been back in a head coaching capacity since 2014-15.
If Vaughn manages to coach an impressive series in the first round, it could raise his profile around the league for possible openings. Meanwhile, an expected outing will surely keep him in an assistant coaching role since his previous results were so underwhelming with the Magic.
